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Leopold von Ranke (1795-1886), a 19th-century German historian, is widely regarded as the pioneer of the empirical or Berlin revolution in history writing. He pioneered a new approach to history writing, which is still widely used today. Prior to Ranke, Edward Gibbon pioneered modern historical scholarship with his book Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, published between 1776 and 1788. The author’s book was based on available materials and information from the Positivist Tradition. 

Berlin revolution in history writing is an important topic for UGC NET History, UPSC History, and other exams.

Limitations Of History Prior To Berlin revolution in History Writing

His work, like that of others such as Voltaire and Hume who published historical pieces in the 18th century, fell short in many ways. The limitations were primarily related to the nature of historical study in 18th-century Europe. These problems can be listed as follows:

• The first objective of the history writing was to create universal rules of human and societal behavior. Furthermore, they were unable to analyze societal and political development trends. Unlike Gibbon, most 18th-century historians were not focused on supplying empirical information. Many historians lacked critical thinking skills while citing sources. Many people depended only on their sources and assumed they were accurate and trustworthy.
• There was also a difficulty with the lack of original sources and papers.
• The majority of the archives were closed to scholars. Most governments used censorship to prevent the release of books and reports that contradicted their ideas. Furthermore, the Catholic Church had the right to suppress works that were critical of its beliefs.
• Another issue in the history writing was a lack of formal history education at universities. As a result, historians frequently worked independently rather than collaboratively.

This resulted in a lack of mutual checks and informed criticism.

Background of Berlin revolution in History Writing

In the early 19th century, the French Revolution and subsequent political changes enabled the resolution of many of the issues mentioned above. 

• The revolution transformed our understanding of human nature and society. People began to consider changing and developing their social and individual behaviors. Sources and documents were rigorously checked for veracity. Barthold Georg Niebuhr (1776-1831), a Danish scholar, is credited with pioneering source-based historical study and the new critical technique. In his book, History of Rome, published in 1811-12, he utilized advanced linguistic studies and textual analysis to study sources and write. Niebuhr worked in Prussia since 1806 and was appointed to the newly established University of Berlin. 
• In his courses on Roman history, he critically analyzed sources, particularly those of classical historian Livy (59 BCE – 17 CE). He utilized advanced philological approaches and identified flaws in Livy’s work. Niebuhr believed that this method would expose prejudice in contemporary sources and allow historians to show the true condition of affairs. He thought that “In laying down the pen, we must be able to say in the sight of God that we have not knowingly or without earnest investigation written anything which is not true.”
• While Niebuhr made significant contributions to history writing, it was Ranke who pioneered modern historiography. In 1824, he released his first book: The History of the Latin and Teutonic Nations. In the book’s Preface, the author stated that empirical historiography is responsible for judging the past and guiding the present for future generations. This work does not aspire to such exalted duties.
• Its goal is simply to demonstrate how things were.

Berlin revolution in history writing

The Berlin revolution in history writing can be summarized as follows:

• The Berlin revolution in history writing believed in understanding the past on its own terms, rather than those of the present. Historians should examine a certain period to understand prior attitudes and behaviors, rather than focusing solely on their own generation. According to Ranke, historians should focus on understanding the issues that mattered to the people of the time period they are researching, rather than focusing on the present. Ranke and the Empirical School created the concept of historicity. This implied that the past has distinct characteristics from the present. Historians are responsible for capturing the essence of a time period.
• Berlin revolution in history writing thought that knowledge is derived solely via sensory experience. Historical knowledge can be derived from objective accounts of people’s experiences within a specific time period. Historians should rely solely on accessible sources. The historian should not rely on imagination or intuition. When making historical statements, it’s important to reference sources.
• Berlin revolution in history writing questioned the sources and remained skeptical. He understood that not all sources were equal in value. He postulated a hierarchy of sources. He prioritized sources that were current with happenings. These are referred to as the primary sources. Priority should be given to records created by participants or direct observers over those written by others during the same time period. Later on, individuals created other sources. Secondary sources should be treated with caution while examining events, as they are less reliable than main ones. The precise date of all sources became a primary priority.
• Berlin revolution in history writing also stressed the need of producing references. Provide detailed sources to back up all assertions and statements. He improved and elaborated on a technique previously used by Gibbon and other historians. This method allowed historians to cross-check the evidence they quoted. This would require historians to revise their perspectives and interpretations.
• Berlin revolution in history writing distinguished between facts and interpretations. He emphasized the importance of supporting facts with evidence from credible sources.

The historian’s role is to first establish facts and then interpret them. According to Ranke, historians should base their hypotheses on facts found in sources rather than seeking confirmation from sources.

Role of Ranke in Berlin revolution in History Writing

Ranke’s production was immense. He authored several multi-volume publications, including The Ottoman and Spanish Empires in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, The Popes of Rome, Church and State in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, and History of Reformation in Germany.

• Through his books, Ranke attempted to set an example for future historians.
• Ranke and his successors defined the technique for professional history and contributed to the development of supporting organizations. 
• In 1833, Ranke established graduate seminars at the University of Berlin to provide organized training for young researchers. In the 1840s, a group of dedicated researchers in Germany began producing professional histories. 
• In 1823, the Prussian government began publishing Monumenta Germaniae Historica, which aimed to provide historians with access to key materials on German medieval history.

More than 360 volumes have been published so far.

Conclusion

Berlin revolution in history writing viewed history as a disciplined science free from metaphysical assumptions and moral judgments. He emphasized the need for historians to conduct philological analysis on their sources to ensure their accuracy. In contrast to Comtean positivism, Ranke emphasized the uniqueness of events rather than their universality.

He believed that it was more necessary to look for specific details rather than overarching laws. In 1848, all German-speaking universities embraced the Rankean approach of writing history. After 1870, the Rankean paradigm became widely used in historical studies in Europe, the US, and Japan. Journals began publishing in multiple languages to promote scientific history. In 1859, the journal Historische Zeitschrift began publishing in German. It set a trend. It was followed by Revue Historique in French in 1876, Rivista Storica Italiana in Italian in 1884, English Historical Review in 1886, American Historical Review in 1895, and several similar periodicals in various languages and nations.

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